The worship of Lord Siva on the Maha-Sivaratri night.Tamil Speech. S.V.Ramani.
மகா சிவராத்திரியில் சிவனை வணங்கும் தத்துவம்.
"Maha-Sivaratri" is a Hindu festival observed on the night of the four¬teenth day of the dark half in the month of 'Magha', in Tamil 'Maasi', corresponding to the English months 'February—March', in honour of Siva, one of the Hindu Trinity, representing the destructive aspect in the universe.
There is also a myth emphasizing the importance of the worship of Siva during the Sivaratri night and it is in brief as follows:
Once there was a hunter, and he one day went into the forest to procure meat for his family by hunting some animal. He wandered up and down in the forest from morning till night in search of game but was unable to shoot any. At last, when night overtook him, he climbed up a Bael tree to escape from a wild animal that was pursuing him, being roused from its lair by the hunter. The animal was lying down at the foot of the tree quite certain that the man would fall down either from sleep or from exhaustion, and that he might eat him.
The hunter, exhausted as he was from his exertions and hunger, wished to scare away the animal by throwing handful of bael leaves. These leaves dripping with water on account of the recent shower fell on a Siva-Lingam that was near. The night happened to be the Maha-Sivaratri night. He had fasted during the whole day since he could not find anything to eat. The drenching rain constituted a bath and his action of throwing the bael leaves on the Siva-Lingam, the wor¬ship of Siva on the Sivaratri night. Though his actions were not intentional to worship Siva, yet he is said to have gained heaven as he had observed the Sivaratri - Vratha unwittingly.
The basic principle underlying the observance of the Maha-Sivaratri Vratha appears to be to emphasize the fact that death is sure to follow birth, night is sure to follow day, Pralaya, active cosmic life and so on, and consequently people should always bear in mind while enjoying the one its opposite and regulate their life accordingly. They should not be elated at success nor should they allow themselves to be carried away by despair at failures but always have trust in God and worship him.
Om-Namasivayaa!…Om-Namasivayaa!!
மகா சிவராத்திரியில் சிவனை வணங்கும் தத்துவம்.
"Maha-Sivaratri" is a Hindu festival observed on the night of the four¬teenth day of the dark half in the month of 'Magha', in Tamil 'Maasi', corresponding to the English months 'February—March', in honour of Siva, one of the Hindu Trinity, representing the destructive aspect in the universe.
There is also a myth emphasizing the importance of the worship of Siva during the Sivaratri night and it is in brief as follows:
Once there was a hunter, and he one day went into the forest to procure meat for his family by hunting some animal. He wandered up and down in the forest from morning till night in search of game but was unable to shoot any. At last, when night overtook him, he climbed up a Bael tree to escape from a wild animal that was pursuing him, being roused from its lair by the hunter. The animal was lying down at the foot of the tree quite certain that the man would fall down either from sleep or from exhaustion, and that he might eat him.
The hunter, exhausted as he was from his exertions and hunger, wished to scare away the animal by throwing handful of bael leaves. These leaves dripping with water on account of the recent shower fell on a Siva-Lingam that was near. The night happened to be the Maha-Sivaratri night. He had fasted during the whole day since he could not find anything to eat. The drenching rain constituted a bath and his action of throwing the bael leaves on the Siva-Lingam, the wor¬ship of Siva on the Sivaratri night. Though his actions were not intentional to worship Siva, yet he is said to have gained heaven as he had observed the Sivaratri - Vratha unwittingly.
The basic principle underlying the observance of the Maha-Sivaratri Vratha appears to be to emphasize the fact that death is sure to follow birth, night is sure to follow day, Pralaya, active cosmic life and so on, and consequently people should always bear in mind while enjoying the one its opposite and regulate their life accordingly. They should not be elated at success nor should they allow themselves to be carried away by despair at failures but always have trust in God and worship him.
Om-Namasivayaa!…Om-Namasivayaa!!
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